When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 92

Episode 92, Part 3: Transfer to Another World Arc  

A dungeon—a mysterious structure that suddenly appeared around the world several decades ago. Although it looks like a simple cave entrance, its internal space is unimaginable. It has been referred to as a different dimension. Some even whisper rumors that it connects to another world.

Despite the mystery surrounding these dungeons, they eventually became hunting grounds for people known as “explorers” due to the materials and precious minerals obtained by defeating the strange monsters within them. Numerous dungeons exist across Japan alone, with several located in Tokyo. These dungeons fall under the jurisdiction of a national agency known as the Dungeon Bureau. Under the management of the Dungeon Bureau, dungeon exploration and the materials obtained from them became a major industry. During this golden age of dungeons, a quiet but extremely significant event occurred.

That day, a large-scale dungeon quake was detected in the dormant Okutama Dungeon in Tokyo. The dungeon was previously thought to be almost inactive. The Dungeon Bureau hastily dispatched top-level explorers from the Tachikawa Base and requested a detailed analysis of the dungeon quake from a research institute.

However, by the time the explorers arrived at the Okutama Dungeon, the quake had already subsided, and the entire dungeon was eerily calm. There was no sign of a stampede or even a hint of monsters; the Okutama Dungeon remained in its usual dormant state.

・　・　・

This was becoming a problem.

That was Jez Norman’s honest feeling. It had been several hours since he woke up in the cave, and Princess René still hadn’t regained consciousness. Since her breathing was steady, he assumed she was fine.

But that wasn’t the issue.

What troubled him more was the sign he saw after carrying René out of the cave: “Managed by the Dungeon Bureau: Okutama Dungeon, Tokyo.” 

He couldn’t make sense of it. The writing on the sign was in perfect Japanese. If it were in some other language, he might have given up trying to understand it. But seriously, what’s a dungeon? There’s no such thing as a dungeon in Tokyo. And Okutama’s “Hidden in Tokyo” doesn’t mean this! Jez found himself increasingly confused.

Not wanting to encounter anyone without more information, Jez decided to move away from the plaza in front of the Okutama Dungeon. Still carrying René, he left the road leading to the dungeon and ventured into the forest.

After walking off the path for a short while, he found a small hollow from which he could observe the road leading to the dungeon entrance. He decided to stay there for a while and keep watch.

The time was night. The mountain was dark, and the temperature began to drop, but Jez managed to maintain a bearable state by deploying a thin, small barrier spell. He lay back and gazed at the sky, visible through the gaps in the trees. But where exactly was this sky?

At least in the Tokyo where Jez had lived, there were no dungeons. And even if this was the same world, what era was it now? More importantly, Jez Norman had lived for 26 years. He never imagined something like this would happen to him now.

While he absentmindedly stared at the night sky, time passed. Someone was approaching the path to the Okutama Dungeon. The sound of a vehicle—was that a car?

Three vehicles approached along the road to the dungeon. Jez recognized them—Land Cruisers. Feeling a wave of nostalgia, he continued to conceal his presence and monitor the situation.

Ten people got out of the cars. Judging by their clothing, equipment, and vehicles, the era seemed to be very close to the 2020s, the time when Jez had lived. However, there was one glaring difference: each person emitted a faint sense of magic power. Could this really be the Japan he once knew?

Jez continued to quietly observe the group from a distance.

・　・　・

In the Kingdom of Tashman, capital city Nevorista. On that day, a large-scale terrorist incident occurred in the capital, which would later be known as the Nevorista Dragon Incident.

A massive transfer magic circle activated in the capital centered around a dragon. Thanks to the efforts of Jez Norman and René Tashman, the worst outcome was avoided. However—

“Isn’t there something we can do!?”  

Lilly Johnson shouted in frustration, her emotions laid bare.

Inside the temporary crisis management room set up in the royal castle was also the people from the academy. With their cooperation, The smaller magic circles and the Orc Kings that had formed the large-scale transfer array were swiftly erased. Meanwhile, the search continued for the missing Princess René and Jez Norman.

It was already late at night. The group, exhausted from battling the Orc King and dealing with the aftermath, was nearing the limits of their endurance. They had gathered for a debrief and to exchange information. But with no significant leads, time simply dragged on. Growing impatient, Lilly tried to head back to the field to resume the search.

“Lilly, calm down.” 

Erin tried to soothe the emotionally unstable Lilly. But seeing Erin appear as calm as usual made Lilly’s emotions boil over.

“Don’t you care at all, Erin-senpai!?” 

Lilly’s voice echoed through the meeting room as she slammed her hand on the table. The room fell silent. King Ramses, Prime Minister Saylor, Crown Prince Leo, and Maria Valenti all quietly turned their gaze to Erin.

Erin stood up slowly, maintaining her usual calm expression. Then, without warning, she slammed her fist down and shattered the table. The loud crash left the room in stunned silence. Of everyone present, it was Erin who was controlling her intense emotions the most.

“Of course, I’m worried. But getting hysterical here won’t help anything. Lilly, you need to calm down first.”

Erin sighed softly. She then walked over to Lilly, and embraced her. Lilly sagged, her emotions spent, as Erin gently patted her back.

“If we’ve searched this thoroughly and still can’t find them, there’s a high chance they’re no longer in the capital.”

Then, Erin pulled a pen from her pocket.

“First, let’s track down Victor Alchemis. We’ll squeeze the truth out of that idiot.”

Though she still appeared calm, Erin’s steely gaze made her intent clear.

・　・　・

In an uncharted region among ancient ruins:

“Hmm?”

Victor suddenly noticed that the signal from one of his conceptual weapons had vanished. Curious, he began to investigate.

“…Only one pen is still responding?”

As he continued to check, he muttered to himself.

“…Interesting. The signal’s very faint, but it’s not completely gone.”

With a sinister grin, the mad alchemist in the desolate ruins chuckled to himself.

Later that night, Victor would be overcome with a primal sense of dread. He instinctively felt that his life was in danger—but that’s a story for another time.